Page 107 of Laila Manning
I pulled Kade back further as Zeke went into boogeyman mode, and he let me. I thought he would have fought me, but he didn’t, he simply stayed behind me and watched it all unfold.
“That’s my kid!” the woman spat out, shooting her arm out around Zeke. “You don’t get to tell me what to do with my damn kid! He owes me money!”
“You’re wrong.” Zeke slapped her hand away, “He’s my kid now. You didn’t deserve him. You didn’t love him. You didn’t care for him. Therefore, you’ve lost your claim to him and anything else you manipulated him into giving you over the years. It’s done. It stops here. If you ever come near him again, I’ll slit your fucking throat and let you bleed out in the streets, I don’t care. You fucked up your chance time and time again. And now he’s going to be loved and cared forby us, so leave. Before I lose my patience and make an example out of you, proving to everyone just how fucking tired the Shadeport Crew is of deadbeat parents fucking their kids up like they’re not the most precious thing on this Earth.”
My heart beat wildly in my chest as the woman sputtered in indignation, no doubt ignoring everything that Zeke said to her. But I didn’t.
And neither did Kade. He stared up at Zeke with eyes so full of wonder and awe as the man claimed him as his own. As ours. I knew Kade was before that moment, but we hadn’t openly told him about our intentions for the long term.
I was glad it was out there though, so he knew how serious we were about keeping him and making a family out of our own messed up little dynamic. I threaded my fingers into Kade’s ice-cold ones, and he squeezed me back instantly, looking at me with questioning eyes.
“He’s right—every word. You’re home.”
The woman stumbled backward as Zeke advanced on her, proving how serious he was, and then she glared at Kade before I pulled him behind me completely, squaring up to her.
She hissed at the boy, “You always were useless to me, anyway! Good for nothing ungrateful little shit who ran his mouth more than his feet!”
“Get out of here!” I snapped, cutting off any other things she could have said to the innocent kid. I turned and held him in a hug. “She’s wrong.”
“I know.” He wrapped his arms around my stomach and held on to me with a sigh. “I just really hate her.”
“I’m sorry.” I hugged him tight as Zeke stood at my back and ran his big hand over Kade’s hair.
“She’s gone.” He said powerfully, with that dominance I leaned into so often.
“Thanks.” Kade muttered, pulling back to look up at Zeke. “I’m sorry—”
“Don’t.” Zeke cut him off and gave him a one-sided smile, but there was something so dark raging behind his gaze. “She doesn’t matter.”
“Okay.” Kade nodded and then he peeked at me. “Will you be mad if I don’t want to stay for dinner anymore?”
“Never.” I shook my head, saddened for him. I hated that five minutes ago he was young and carefree, excited to eat and have a nice meal together, almost as a family, and now that woman ruined it all.
His mom.
What a fucking privilege she didn’t deserve.
“Let’s go home.” Zeke led us back toward the parking lot, with Kade between us. “Leave your car here, and I’ll have someone pick it up and drop it off later.”
I didn’t argue, even though I hated the idea of someone else driving my shiny new Pearl. I didn’t want to leave either of their sides.
We got into Zeke’s massive SUV, Kade silently climbing into the backseat as Zeke drove us back to East Valley. There was no talking, or even music on the radio as we drove, all of us in our own minds.
Zeke’s silence felt heavier than normal, though, and when I looked over at him, the lethal look in his eyes should have scared me.
It should have warned me away from the power lying under his tailored suit and taut, inked skin. But I didn’t shy away from it. No, that would have been something the old Laila did.
The new me wanted to burn in its power and authority. Sliding my hand over his where it rested on the center console, I scraped my nails down his knuckles before weaving my fingers between his.
His piercing eyes flew over to me, and I could feel the heat in them, without using a single word to describe it. If we had been alone in the car, I probably would have climbed over onto his lap to use his body to calm the unrest raging in mine.
Instead, I stayed seated, crossing my legs to stop myself from doing something embarrassing. Like begging him.
When we pulled into Ryker’s Estate, the lawn was crawling with people, crew members and even their girlfriends and wives. Kids played soccer on the manicured grass, and Ryker and his men set up grills in the driveway, filling the air with smoke as they cooked.
We all got out, and a few of the guys called to Kade, inviting him over to their game of catch with a football. A few weeks ago, they had teased him mercilessly for being so small and mouthy, but now, with Zeke’s protection at his back, they welcomed him into their groups with no more hazing.
“Is it okay?” He asked, nodding to the guys.
